Upper Darby redistricting process ongoing

UPPER DARBY — A member of the township’s redistricting committee provided township officials with an overview of the redistricting process at a recent meeting.

Joseph Salvucci, a former township council president, was one of five people appointed to the panel by Mayor Thomas Micozzie in January, along with council President Donald P. Bonnett, Vice President Thomas Wagner, Township Enginer Daniel Lutz and resident Robert Goldberg.

When appointed, three of the four Democratic council members, Bob Gwin, Sekela Coles and Barbarann Keffer, opposed the members of the panel comprised of only Republicans.

According to Salvucci, the current boundary lines were drawn 10 years ago after the last census.

He cited Section 313 of the Home Rule Charter specifying a review of council districts at least once in each decade to determine as nearly as possible the same number of residents in each of the seven districts with no more than a 10 percent variance.

“Only one district is out,” Salvucci said. “The 7th District is above the 10 percent by about 1 percent. We should try and get all seven districts at plus or minus 10 percent.”

According to Salvucci, all district council members would be retained in the same district and would retain at least 75 percent of their current constituents. Any change would take affect prior to the 2015 spring primary election.

“The district average is 11,828 residents,” Salvucci said. “They all have contiguous precincts except Penn Pines. According to the charter criteria, the problem can be met with a simple swap from the more populated District 7 with a less populated District 6. The next step is I need some feedback from the council and the mayor.”

A committee meeting will be held in early August to consider possible precinct shifts.

In answer to a question raised by Democratic council member Bob Gwin about precinct shifts being based on population, Salvucci said, “Yes, we should take a look at the total registered voters.”

Salvucci informed Democratic council member Sekala Coles the panel has not had an official meeting, but have spoken on the phone.